Trio tied at the top in Perthshire

8/27/2010 7:14:53 PM

Gary Boyd (Getty Images)

David Lynn joined European Tour rookies Julien Guerrier and Gary Boyd in a share of the halfway lead at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

The 36 year old Englishman Lynn has been a European Tour regular for over a decade, but despite consistently finishing in the top 100 on The Race to Dubai has only one victory to his name - the 2004 KLM Open.

But the former England Amateur international aims to change that this weekend after a second round 68.

"It's not happened a lot at all this year," said Lynn. "Maybe a touch of surprise, really, but as I spoke yesterday, coming back to a course I've done well at before, been staying patient all year, hoping my fortunes are going to change.

"A couple of good rounds, so sets me up nicely for the weekend."

By contrast Boyd and Guerrier are enjoying their first seasons on The European Tour - France's Guerrier came through last November's Qualifying School, while England's Boyd secured his card via The Challenge Tour.

After missing out on last week's Czech Open in a play-off to Peter Hanson, Boyd looks to have already secured his card for next season, and he admits that with the pressure off he is setting himself some lofty targets.

"This year I've had quite a few cuts I've missed by a shot, and it's been kind of a frustrating year," he said after a bogey free 68.

"And obviously last week kind of didn't really surprise me that I was doing well. Started to hole a few more putts and I've got to try to take it into this week.

"Obviously my next goal is The Race to Dubai which I'm just outside, so hopefully we can have a good weekend here and push on from there."

Guerrier is currently 125th on The Race to Dubai, so knows the importance of a good finish here which would move him into the top 115 who retain their playing privileges.

"I saw Martin Kaymer, 26 years old and he made the fantastic title in the US PGA and I said ‘he's a good player, but I'm a good striker and I can do it'" said the 25 year old, who shot seven birdies in a 67.

"So I try to do it and I don't try too much, just play your golf, play your best and go see the flag and play it. That's all."

Meanwhile Simon Dyson's dream of playing in The Ryder Cup is still alive with only two days of the year-long marathon to go.

"If I play the best 36 holes of my life I'll play in the best tournament of my life," said the 32 year old after a second round 70 kept him in joint seventh place.

However, it might not be enough even if he does go crazy and grab the victory he needs to have a chance of a debut at The Celtic Manor Resort in just over a month.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jiménez will keep out Dyson if he finishes in the top nine on Sunday - and after a 68 he is also six under par at halfway, three behind the co-leaders.

With big-hitting Alvaro Quiros, also on a win-or-bust mission, only just squeezing through the cut on one under par, the Yorkshire golfer looks like the main threat to Jiménez and Peter Hanson.

Swede Hanson won last week's Czech Open to move into eighth place on the points table and since he is also six under at halfway - so are Molinari and his brother Francesco - it looks like becoming a battle between Jiménez and Dyson.

Dyson felt unlucky that a squall came while he was on the 320 yard 14th - "the easiest hole on the course became a tough one," he said - but he had earlier made putts of 40 and 20 feet to save par at the second and fourth.

"I struggled with distance with my irons, but I missed only one fairway and my putting held my score together for the first few holes.

"I know what I've got to do and I'll just give it a go. If I'm three behind even with nine holes to go I still fancy my chances."

Playing partner Hanson birdied the last three holes for his second successive 69 and a 43rd place finish for him puts him in the side regardless of what anybody else does.

Jiménez had hopes of something special when he birdied three of the first four, but it was only when he birdied the par five last - like Dyson - that he moved to four under for the day.